§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in a position to make a statement in respect of the representations made by His Majesty's Ambassador at Lisbon to the Portuguese Government as long ago as January, 1929, regarding the arrest on the charge of theft of £1 of Mr. A. J. Brewer, who was detained for nine months while awaiting trial in Portuguese West Africa, and subsequently sentenced to 300 days' imprisonment and £18 fine or another 90 days' imprisonment?
Mr. A. HENDERSONHis Majesty's Ambassador has recently drawn the attention of the Portuguese Government to the very long delay over this case, on which representations were first made to that Government on 3rd November, 1928, Sir Francis Lindley has been informed that in April last the papers relating to the trial, which had been scrutinised by the Portuguese Cabinet, were handed to the Supreme Court for examination with a view to determine whether a miscarriage of justice had taken place. This examination is, apparently, not yet finished.